German Warfare
by Stella laLuna
Summary: All's fair in Love and War... But can things still go too far? It's been discontinued. Sorry. You can read, but just don't get too involved. I'm really sorry people.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** In life there are always two battles. One for honor, and one for love. What will happen when the line between the two blurs? Join Astrid, on her journey for honor for her family and love for her soul in the devastating era known as World War Two. As she faces life, death, hope and loss, will she find the one she loves? Or will he too, become just another blur in the game of war?  
><strong>Pairings:<strong> Germany/OC (More to come as the story goes on)  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> Adult language, some _'Hot, Hot Hot'_(as my friend calls them) scenes, and some bloody Death scenes. My message to the Squeamish; LOOK AWAY!

* * *

><p>"What is your name?"<p>

"Astrid Valentinovna Herrmann"

"Where are you and your family from?"

"My mother was born in Skien, Norway. My father was born in Berlin, Germany. My brother Martin was born in , Russia one year before I. I lived in Russia all my life until two weeks ago when I came here"

"What Languages do you speak?"

"Ich spreche Deutsch, Jeg snakker norsk, Я говорю на русском, Je parle français, and I speak English" His jaw clenches when I say french, but I know it's important to know the tongue of the enemy.

"Why are you here?"

"To fight for my people and Führer"

"You'll do quite nicely" I nod, and he looks at me with a side glance. His blue eyes are like sapphires. And his porcelain skin glows in the sunset light.  
>I look straight ahead with my hands behind my back and my legs shoulder width apart. My muscles are taunt, and the Drill Sargent walks in circles around me. The soldiers behind me stare, and feel his lift up my hair from my shoulder to inspect my neck.<p>

"Do you have what it takes to be part of the German army?" He asks; dropping my hair back into place.

"Herr, Jawohl Herr" I bring my arm up to point to the sky at an angle, and I clear my throat. "Heil Hitler!" I shout. He nods, and looks at the other men surrounding me.

"You are very unusual" He states. "You are the only woman in German history to be accepted for battle." I swallow hard, and he comes to look at my face. "Are you absolutely sure you wish to fight?" He asks. I'm caught off guard, and I stare directly into those eyes.

"You do question my capabilities? I can fight just as well as any other man in this army," And he is obviously surprised by my rash words, but I don't back down. "Just because I am a woman does not mean I can not fight" He stares at me, and I see a single strand of his blond hair out of place.  
>I suddenly have to urge to push it back, but I don't move my muscles from this stance; Arms at my sides, legs strong and in a position ready to fight or run if needed. But I will never run. I was not raised to do as such.<p>

"I could beat you in any fight" the people around us gasp, and He hides his utter shock and humiliation under a red face.  
>We stand there, for well over an hour staring at each other, silently fighting for dominance with just our eyes. The sun has set, the night hair has a chilled tint to it. Goose bumps rise up over my skin, but I don't shiver to ease the sensations. This man may be a higher ranking officer, but that does not mean he can boss me around after only being here for two days.<p>

I hold my gaze, he'll need to step back eventually. But I can go all night. I see red lines begin to appear in his eyes. The right corner of my mouth tilts up just a millimeter in a smirk, and he pulls back.

"Dismissed!" He shouts, and I stand back to salute.

"Heil Hitler!" We all shout in unison, and I turn to my right to leave for my bed. But the man grabs my shoulder, and I'm left standing at full attention until every last solider has left. We are the last standing in the dead of a summer night.

"That was very bold of you" He says. I keep my mouth closed until I have permission to speak. "Almost too bold" He stares at me, and I continue to look off into the distance.

"Permission to speak Herr?" I ask, but he rises his hand to silence me.

"I have half a mind to expel you from this camp" I swallow hard, and I take a deep breath to steady my heart beat. "If it were not for your birthright, I would have shot you point blank the moment you spoke out against me" I bite my tongue to keep myself from doing so again and he gets in my face. "So, if you say you can beat me in any fight, why don't you do so?" He says, leaning back somewhat. "Right here, right now"

"Are you afraid to be beaten by a woman in front of your comrades Herr Beilschmidt?" I ask, but he only grinds his teeth. It _was_ convenient of him to dismiss the battalion before he challenged me.

"No. Right now" He says, and I shrug.

"Suit yourself" I say, and with out warning I swing my leg around to take away his balance. But he counters it, and grabs my ankle and twists so end up on my stomach with him on my back. I use my free hands to grip at the dirt, and I throw it into his face to temporarily blind him.  
>The German groans, and his hand loses grip on my ankle. I take the opportunity to flip him over. I straddle his hips and hold his hands above his head. My legs to tangle in his own, and now he's completely idle.<p>

I smirk when he struggles, and he stares at me with blue eyes. Those eyes dig into my soul and my breath is stolen away. I can feel every muscle moving slowly beneath his now muddied uniform, and my heart beat echos in my ears. His legs are strong against my own, and one of them twitches to see if he can break lose.  
>I swallow hard, and lick my lips. Those eyes draw me in, and I feel myself lowering my face closer to his. My long hair drapes over my shoulder and creates a curtain on the side of his face, and his facial expression mirrors mine. Shock and awe.<p>

"I have proven myself, Da?" I ask with my Russian accent upon my tongue thickly, and he nods. I get off him, and he dusts off the dirt from his ruffled clothes. He looks at me, and he spits onto the ground in anger.

"You may retire" He stalks off toward his tent. I huff and walk back to my own tent. I close the flap behind me, and I sigh at the warmth from the small pot bellied stove that acts as my heat source. I take off my warm jacket and I toss it onto my bed, leaving only my well tailored uniform shirt upon my flesh.  
>Because my father is one of The Führer's child hood friends, I get top issued facilities. Such as a private bath, a heated tent, and I am allowed to eat with the Captains and Officers upon my will. The entire tent in which I reside is large enough to house fifteen people, but seeing as I'm the only female soldier, I get the whole thing to myself!<p>

Sometimes, being the only woman in a camp of men can have it's advantages.

"Bonjour Astrid" Sometimes not. "How are you this fine evening?" His voice is sultry and hinted with lust, and I smile at him when I turn around toward the tent opening.

"Wunderbar. Now leave me be" I frown, and the man only smiles. His blond hair is long and falls into his face. His blue eyes shine with want, and I clench my jaw.

"Oh, do not be that way mon amour" His accent fills me ears. He walks toward me, and I frown.

"If it were not for your father being a general, I would say you're a French spy" he laughs, and he walks in a circle in my tent. This, game he plays, has been going on since the first night I arrived here.

"You truley are a beauty to behold" He twirls my red hair in his fingers and I fight the urge to punch him in the jaw. "Why don't we enjoy some wine?" He asks and I frown. "Maybe, we could enjoy each other"

"You know alcohol is forbidden unless we are at a celebration" He smirks, and pulls out a bottle of french wine and two glasses from a sack hanging over his shoulder "No Francis. Now get out of my tent before I incapacitate you" He laughs.

"Ohonhonhon. You do not frighten me Astrid" He whispers, and leans against me. I'm pushed against my bed frame, and his face becomes only centimeters from mine.

"You're already drunk" I push him away, and he grabs my chin. "Get off me" I order, and he smiles.

"You know you want me." He smiles and a finger traces the buttons of my uniform shirt.

"Don't touch me" I whisper. This man only spews empty words, but now I'm fearful that he is acting upon his fantasies.

"_Don't touch me_" He mimics my voice, and I hold my breath as his hands work at unbuttoning my shirt. "You kill me with your humor" He smiles, and his tongue snakes out to run over my jaw line.  
>Goosebumps rise over my skin and I hold back bile. His free hand grips mine, he pulls both of them above my head. The momentum of his strength sends us flying onto the bed, and I grunt when he lays his full body weight on top of me.<p>

"Tell me. What did Luddie do to you for embarrassing him in front of his men like that?" He asks, and his hand makes fast work of my shirt. Luddie? Is he speaking of the Drill Sargent? I struggle, and I use my legs to kick up against him, but all it does is make Francis want more of my skin to touch.

"Get off me" I order, but he only buries his face into my neck. He sucks on the flesh and I close my eyes. My breath is stolen away and I buck my hips in a final attempt to remove him from my person.

"Excited, are we?" He asks, and I point my head away from him to keep his vile lips from touching my face. His mouth latches back onto my neck, and I moan in pain. I don't need a mirror to know I already have bruise.

"I said get off!" I shout, but he only covers my scream with his lips. I feel him laugh and I bite down on his tongue when it slithers into my mouth, hard enough to draw blood. He sits up and screams in pain. "I warned you" I whisper. He looks at me with anger, and I jump from my bed to tackle him to the ground.  
>I twist his arms, and I press his face into the hard wood floor. My finger nails dig into his skin and I hear him whimper.<p>

"I will get off of you-" I breath heavily, suddenly tired. "And you will leave my tent" He nods, and I jump back as he struggles to stand.

"That hurt-"

"I could have done worse damage" I scold him, and I take the bottle of wine and glasses from him as he reaches for them. "And I think I'll keep this." I smile, and he sighs helplessly.

"Astrid-"

"You do not call me that. My name is Herrmann. Now get out of my tent, Bonnefoy" He doesn't move, and I set my new wine on my desk. "I said get out!" I take hold of the collar of his uniform and I drag him from my tent.  
>I throw him to the ground when I'm outside, and he looks up at me through a cloud of dust.<p>

"Astrid-" He starts again, but I lean down and point into his face.

"If you enter my tent, call me that name, or touch me, ever again-" His face is contorted in fear, and he keeps looking over my shoulder. "I will cut your _lul_ off and feed it to the dogs" He starts backing up, and I stand up to watch him scuttle away like a broken crab.

I breath deeply, and I look down to see my shirt undone and my brassiere flaunting in the artificial light from lamps. I re-button it, and I turn back toward my tent.

"That was some show" I jump back to see the drill Sargent standing in the middle of my tent looking at the wine bottle. I immediately get into attention, and he walks up to me.

"Permission to speak Herr?" I ask, but he shakes his head.

"If I catch you brawling with another soldier, you will be on the next transit out of here"

"Yes Herr" I whisper.

"Guten Nacht Fräulein"

"Guten Nacht" He leaves my tent, and I hear his shoes crunch over the gravel.

_"Can this day get any worse?"_ I think to myself. I've been here for a total for three weeks, and already I've been accused of being a spy, have been sexually harassed by other men, and almost raped. When Pappa warned me of the camp 'conditions' I had no idea it would be this bad.

I sigh and stand up. I walk to a small dresser, which is really just a suit case of my clothes on a fold-able table, and I pull out my night clothes. Just a plain grey shirt and a pair of black boxer shorts I stole from my brother.

I miss Martin. He's only a year older than me, but because he has a crippled foot from falling on the ice, he wasn't allowed to enlist. In order to keep our family's honor I took my brothers' place.  
>People say we would be twins for our attitudes, but we look nothing like each other. He has my father's Light blond hair and blue eyes, the epitome of what a Herrmann should look like. While I have my mothers' red hair. I have Violet eyes, like no one else in my family.<br>Violet was said to be a lucky color, saying that no harm would be brought to me. So far that saying is... somewhat true.

I quickly change my clothing, and toss my bra into a small basket for cleaning in the morning. I crawl into bed with the blanket tucked up to my chin. I close my eyes, and I smile as my muscles relax.

* * *

><p>"Everyone up! Emergency Drill!" The words are like bullets in my ears, and I shoot up in my bed. My heart starts pounding and I throw the blankets to the floor. I stick my head out of my tent, and I see everyone running by in their night clothes and line up in full attention. I slip on my shoes and I do the same, and I stand next to a random solider.<br>I feel eyes on me, and I ignore the perverted whispers that are spoken around me.

"Sehr gut" I bite my lip when I see the drill Sargent fully decked out in his uniform, and as he passes I can't help but feel self conscious.  
>Why is everyone staring at me? They're all wearing the same thing! Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean they can stare at me like I'm a painting in some museum. I swallow hard, and I feel a dull ache rise up on my neck. I dare to look down with my eyes, and I see a golf ball sized bruise on my neck.<br>That is what everyone is staring at.

"But it could have been just a bit faster" He eyes no one in particular, but his eyes soon land on me. "Everyone back to your tents" He orders, and I relax my muscles and ruffle my hair to fix it. It must have become disheveled when I ran here. I close my eyes and I walk back to my tent.

"Hello Herrmann" I turn as I'm about to enter, and I see a man with short brown hair and a calm face. I narrow my eyes.

"What do you want Louise?" The Italian winks at me, and I grind my teeth.

"I was wondering if you wanted to have lunch with me tomorrow" I roll my eyes and I open the flap to my tent. "Please?" He asks, and he leans on the metal pole keeping my tent up.

"No" I say, and He makes a face.

"Bitte?" He asks in German, and I put on the most charming smile I can muster.

"No" I close the flap on his face, and I hear a disgruntled sound. I laugh, and return to my bed for a good nights sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

I sit at an empry table, enjoying being the first one up for the morning. This is my only time away from those ruffians, and I try to cherrish it.

"You can have seconds since you helped me make the food" I hear the cook call out from behind large table, and I smile.

"No thank you. I'm sure there's a man somewhere in this army that could use it more than I" He nods, and returns to heating what ever is in a large pot. I look at the clock hanging on the wall, and I sigh.  
>It's four thirty in the morning. The sky outside is going to be pitch dark for a few more hours, and I have an hour until the rest of the Batalion wakes up. I stand from the table, and I place my empty tray in a large metal bin for washing later on in the day.<p>

"Guten tag!" The man calls out, and I smile back at him.

"Guten tag" I leave the dinning hall, and look out at the camp. Large, tin like barracks for every fifteen men sit ten feet apart from each other for two miles off to my right, and farthest from the dinning hall, closest to the forest line is my own tin. To my right, sit the training fields; wire and mud traps for flexability, large grassy plains for physical excersize, and two large wooden walls with ropes on either side for climbing. Right in front of the dinning hall sits the flag of the Third Reich.  
>Right next to the dinning hall is the telegram office, where mesages from the Front and Herr Hitler himself come to our camp.<p>

I set off down the muddy dirt road. it must have rained last night and I didn't hear it. I pull my jacket tighter around me, and I shiver; wishing I had worn something warmer. I dig my hand into my pants pocket, and I pull out a rubber band for my hair. I put it up, and I pull the collar of my coat up to hide the bruise if any one else is as mad as me to be up this early.

I turn down a running path, and I streatch out my muscles.

"A run will warm me up" I whisper. I nod, and I start off down the path in a light jog. The cold morning air stings my face, but as the sun rises it will warm to it's everyday summer temperature. My breath turns to mist as it leaves my body, and I smile when I feel my fingers warming with the movement.  
>The world around me is tinted with a dark blue, and I feel at peace.<p>

I feel my eyes begin to water, and I blink in frustration. I bring up my hand to wipe tears away, and I sigh.  
>This reminds me of my early mornings in . I can run on ice as well as dirt, and running has always comforted me when talking or sitting in my home couldn't.<p>

"I miss you" I whisper. Thinking of my family. I close my eyes, and I see the road in my memory; The turn a few feet ahead, that odd pot-hole just past the willow tree. Everything memorized after running this very path every morning for three weeks.  
>I feel my body come to a jerking stop, and I open my eyes to see another figure fall to the ground with me tangled in his long limbs. We both groan, and I sit up holding my head.<p>

"извините" I whisper, and I hear the man groan in pain.

"Was?" He asks, and I look from my scuffed wrist to a man with his hair disheveld and his hand cupped on his jaw.

"Traurig" I correct my apology to German, and he nods.

"You should watch were you're going" He says and stands up. I shake my head and crack my neck to fix an out of place joint from the fall.

"Me? I normally have this whole road to myself, why should I be looking for someone?" I look up at him, and I catch myself from saying any thing more. "Herr Beilschmidt" I stand up and salute him, and I stand at full attention. "I appologize for my words. I should have been watching where I was going" I stare at the ground, and he frowns.

"What are you doing out here so early?" He asks, and I swallow hard.

"Running. It is the only time I have to myself since every man in this camp is bent on harrasing me" He stares at me, and I bite my tongue. "Traurig. I should hold my tongue when adressing an officer" I look at my shoes, and Herr Beilschmidt nods.

"You should" He dusts off his uniform, and I catch sight of a brilliantly crafted metal cross on a leather string before he tucks it back under his uniform. "Is there something you wish to ask me?" He says, staring down at me. I shake my head.

"No Herr Beilschmidt" I say, and he nods.

"You are free to carry on with your run" He says, and I nod. "Watch where you are going next time" He warns, and he starts off down the opposite end of the road. I frown, and I curse myself for speaking to a higher ranking officer like that. It was one thing when he questioned by strength, but, that was unforgivable.  
>I walk down the path, not wanting to run anymore, and I slowly come to a stop by a tree. I sit down at it's base, and I stare off into the distance where the sun will be rising soon.<p>

I stand up, and I start walking around the camp. I catch sight of the clock tower a ways away, and I'm surprised to see that it's only five o'clock. I have fourty five minutes until everyone is supposed to get up and eat. I walk back to my tent, and I pull off my muddy boots and I change into a different uniform. New pants, and a black tank-top.  
>After my muddy one is set in a basket for cleaning, I lay on my bed and stare at the metal roof.<p>

I close my eyes, and I sigh heavily. I am tired. Maybe if I close my eyes for ten minutes, I wont feel so exahsted. My eye lids feel heavy, and I slowly drift off into a sweet, dreamless sleep.

"Ve- Wake up Astrid!" I wake up with a jolt, and I find myself staring into the face of my only friend in thie entire camp. The small italian smiles widely, and he starts tugging on my hair to get me out of bed. "You'll be late for training" I stare at him, and he points to his watch. "See? It's already eight o'clock" My jaw drops, and I quickly brush my hair through once and I tie it up into a bun. I grab my helmet from under my bed and I slip on my boots. The mud has dried, but they still feel sticky.

"Was?" I ask, my voice slurred. My brain still can't process everything he's saying. My body moves on it's own.

"Have you been drinking?" He asks with a worried face. "Ve- You only talk like that when you're drunk" He stands in the middle of my tent with a sad face, and I roll my eyes.

"I'm not druk Feli. I-I'm just tired" He furrows his light brows, and he sighs. My hands reach for the gun hanging on the back of my desk chair, and pull it over my shoulder.

"Oh." He says with a confused face. "But, Astrid- Ve- you're never tired" I roll my eyes again and I slip on a fresh jacket. I head outside. I set my helmet on my head, and I jump on one foot as I try to fix my socks. "You're not getting sick, are you?" He asks. I don't answer him, and he makes a worried sound. "Oh you are"

"Stop assuming things, Feli!" I shout at him, and I crack my neck to get rid of the stiffness. I can't believe I fell asleep for almost three hours. And I'm still exahsted. I just want to crawl into my bed and sleep all day. "I'm not sick, I'm not drunk. I'm just tired" He nods, and we run up to get into formation.  
>The Italian stands next to me, and I have to straighten his helmet before Herr Vargas walks by to inspect us for training.<p>

Herr Vargas may be Feli's grandfather, but that does not mean he is merciful. We stand straight when a bugal sounds over the speaker system, and The man; wearing black and grey, walks up and down the rows with his leather crop at the ready to straighten out any man. When he passes us, He smiles slightly at Feli, but he cold demeanor returns when his brown eyes land on me.

"You were not pressent for line up this morning" He says, and I bite my cheek. "Where were you?" There must have been a surprise inspection this morning before breakfast, when I was sleeping.

"I was going for a run"

"A run?" He asks, his voice getting rough.

"I woke up early and I must have forgotten my watch." I say. He stares at me with daggers for eyes, and I keep my chin held high.

"Are you lying to me?" he asks.

"I wouldn't dare lie to you Herr Vargas" I say; not a hint of the fear ratteling through my rib cage. He nods, and continues his way down the row. After everone is done, we all go off to separate stations for training.

Feli and I are placed into the same group, organized by middle names. Since Feli has none, he was placed with the rest of the V's.

We're sent to the climbing wall, and I complete it with ease. Feli follows close behind, dispite the fact he has little to no strength. After we complete that, to the wire and mud traps. I crawl beneath the wires beside Feli, and I hear him complaining about getting mud all over his new shirt. I roll my eyes, and when I get out, I shake off the stuff and drape my jacket over my shoulder.

"I don't see how you're complaining so much" I look at Feli, and he hands me his jacket as he tries to rid himself of the mud and grime. The hot sun has risen over the trees, and I know it will dry soon enough.

"Veh- You're a girl, how are you _not_ complaining?" He asks, and I frown.

"Because I don't act like one, you dummkopf" I smack the back side of his helmet, and he looks at me with slitted eyes.

"You should. Men don't like woman who are stronger than them" I laugh, and I drap a muddy arm around his shoulder. This makes him squeel, and I laugh more.

"Oh, but you love me, right Feliciano?" I ask, and he pushes me away from him.

"Do not hug me until you are clean" He whines, and I toss him back his jacket. He takes it ruefully, and drapes it over his shoulder. We walk to the next area of the training course, One of the large grassy fields. But now, it's muddy and worn from men having already working with it and the late night rain.

"Not more mud!" I say with Feli, and he scowels while I smile. We line up and begin with jumping-jacks and and push-ups. One of the things Feli is not capable of are the push-ups. His upper arm strength is too weak to be able to do the simplest of flexes.

"I need to see those chests leave the ground!" The drill sargent yells, and he leans in real close to Feli. "Come on Vargas, get those arms moving!"

"Ve- I'm trying" I look up at the blond hair man, and the blue eyes make me want to spit on him. He is not Herr Beilschmidt, but a lower man named Philip. The father of Francis Bonnefoy.

"Well try harder" His accent mirrors that of his son.

"S-si" The italian whispers, and he pushes up with all of his strength. I finish my aloted push-ups, along with the rest of the group, and we begin our jumping-jacks. I look down to see Feli still trying to push up with his arms, and I feel my heart snap.

He's maybe two years younger than I am, but has his heart and mind in the right place. He wants desperately to fight for his people. But his past life of easy living has not given him much to work with.

"What are you looking at Herrmann?" Philip snaps, and I look away from Feliciano.

"Nothing Herr" He nods, and he uses his crop to smack Feli over the head when he stands up to do jumping-jacks.

"You're not done yet" Feli goes back to the ground, and I bite my tongue to keep myself from using ever fowl name I have in my vocabulary on this man. Feli was done with his push-ups. I heard him counting the whole time. This french bastard just wants to see him struggle. "All right, Every one move onto the next station!" He calls out, and kicks Feli as he stands up. "You, you stay. You still have to do your jumping" Feli nods, and I sigh heavily as I walk over to the running area.

"Hallo everyone" That voice. Oh no. "Today we will run the perimeter of the camp. If any of you complain of pain, exahsten or hunger, you will be sent back to the beginning and do the whole course ove again" When the blond passes me, I hide my anger. "Herrmann" He nods in acknowledgement, and I do the same. "Begin!" He shouts, and we all head off down the muddy road.

I pace myself for the first ten minutes, but when we pass the area Herr Beilschmidt and I crashed into one another, I pick up speed and surpass the rest of the group. I soon find myself running next to Herr Beilschmidt himself, and I have to hide my frustration at how we aren't allowed to pass the Captain.

I stare straight ahead when I feel his ice eyes land on me, and I take a deep breath.

"How are you today Herrmann?" He asks quietly, and I give him a side glance.

"Well enough" I say. I don't dare complain about how tired I am, or how angered I feel. But I know I'll be able to catch up to them if I'm sent back. "And you?" I ask. He shrugs, and I grind my teeth.

"Gut" He says shortly, and I sigh.

"I must appologize" The words fall out of my mouth before my brain has a chance to process them, and I curse myself the moment they leave my tongue. He looks at me with a furrowed brow, and I see him grind his teeth. Just like me.

"There is no need." He says. I hold my tongue. He knows the appology is for more than just this morning. For last night as well. I dishonored him, brought disgrace upon him for beating him at his own game. And speaking out against him in public was like a death sensence that should have been carried out immediatly.

As we near the begining of the running course, I catch a glimps of Feli still at the station with Philip, being hounded to go faster and do more work. Herr Beilschmidt must notice my stare, because he looks over and sighs.

"Philip has always been harsh on his men."

"He is making Feliciano do more than his share" I say with anger on my voice. The blond nods, and we continue our way to the flag pole to end our running. When I stop, I sigh and check my pulse. Very good.

"Training has been completed for today. You may have the rest of the day light to do what you wish" We salute, and I walk off towards Feli. He's just now walking away from Philip's station, and he looks at me with tears in his eyes.

"Oh, Feli" I whisper. He walks up to me, and I see a red mark on his face from the Frenchman's leather crop. I whimper and I pull him into a hug. He hugs me back, and rests his face into my shoulder.  
>When I feel his tears soak through my shirt, I pull his helmet down over his eyes and I pull away. I don't want people to label him as weak. They'll start treating him like they do with me.<p>

"Let's go back to my tent" I say. He nods and wipes his nose.  
>The Italian is like a a little Brother to me. Of course, I would have loved to have a little sibling of my own. To protect and love like my brother did for me.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

LUDWIG'S POV

"That Bastard stole my crop" I pinch the bridge of my nose, and lean against the head board of my bed. "This has happened before, as a joke, but now?" Gilbert has been ranting about his 'emergency' ever since training was adjourned.

"Calm down Bruder" I say in one of my most neutral voices.

"Calm down?" He looks at me with rage, and he red eyes appear to be bloodshot. "Frenchie stole my Awesome crop!" He points to the door and scowls. "As soon as Herr Vargas leaves the campus I'm going to-" I cut him off.

"Sit in here and scream into a pillow like when we were children, Ja?" I ask. He growls and bangs his head against the tin wall of our shared tent. "It's just a crop" I add quietly. He spins on his heel and looks at me with a face empty of all emotions. His eyes are opened wide and skin has paled even more, which I didn't think was possible. The corner of his mouth twitches, something of a nervous tick he's developed.  
>He looks like a ghost, depraved of light and hope. It sends a chill down my spine.<p>

"J-Just, a Crop?" He doesn't blink, and I can see how hard it is to swallow for him. Gott, I had no idea how attached he is to the thing. "Vater, gave that to me. _Vater_ gave it to _me_." He points to his chest, and I raise an eyebrow. "He never gave me anything growing up. He gave everything to you" He points at me, and I press my lips together into a line.

_"Wunderbar. More of this 'you were his favorite' shit"_ I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I open them again to see that he's moved so he's standing only a few feet from me.

"He left you the car, the house, the money in his safe" He stretches out his neck, and swallows hard. The action makes his Adam's apple twitch, and stare at him. "And what did I get? What did I get Bruder?" He pauses and stares at me with anger. "Rose bushes!"

Why do I have to deal with this? I didn't ask for this to happen today. All I was doing was walking to the telegram office when he pounced on me; begging me to inflict mortal wounds on Philip. I dragged him back to our tent, and I told him that it was Francis who took the crop this morning when he was still asleep. Francis must have given it to his father before training.  
>Of course he wanted to go kill the Frenchman the moment Francis' name left my lips, but I talked him down from that ledge to the point with him ranting.<p>

_"I had to say it- Didn't I?"_ I ask myself, and I continue to look at Gilbert with a frown.

"Ludwig, the perfect little German with big blue eyes and blond hair." He points at me with anger. "He loved you because you were his, in his words 'normal grandchild'." I frown more. Vater didn't love me anymore than Gilbert. He just had a different way of showing it. "But I'm proud of being Albino. It's what makes me awesome!" He yells, and I can see the veins in his forehead and neck beginning to pop up under the skin.

"Gil-"

"If you had just kept quiet about me wearing Vater's boots I wouldn't have gotten in trouble." His voice is becoming hysterical.

_"Not this again"_ I groan inwardly. "Gilbert-"

"He wouldn't have found out, and I wouldn't have gotten that totally un-awesome scar that shows off during training every damn-"

"Gilbert!" I boom. He falls silent, and his face relaxes somewhat. "Vater left me the things he did because he didn't want you blowing them off for money. You know you have a gambling problem" He frowns.

"Wana bet?" I face-palm; something I do rarely. Because if I did one every time it was necessary, I would have a bruise expanding over my face for the rest of my life.

"That's my point- You're impulsive. You don't pay attention to what's going on around you and you're obsessed with that stupid crop!" I stand from my bed and walk around before standing at my desk. I pinch the bridge of my nose, and I take a deep breath. "Gott" I mutter, and turn around to see pain on his face. Pain is something rarely seen with him. "I'm sorry Gil" I say quietly.

"You're just like Vater. Always bringing me down"

"I am nothing like him" I whisper beneath my breath.

"Was?" he asks, cupping his hand around his head. I'm not sure if he didn't hear me or he's acting stupid. Either way, I grind my jaw with an unsettling rage in my heart.

"I am nothing like him" My voice is loud, and I can feel the air vibrating around me. He swallows hard, and I breath through my clenched teeth in anger. I walk around him and grab my jacket hanging off the back of a nearby chair. I leave the tent without further word, and I control myself enough to walk 'calmly' to the running course before I break out into a sprint.

* * *

><p><strong>AN** **sorry about this chapter being so short. I just wanted to put a bit of back story on the two brothers. Anyway! I'm sure you guys are wondering why I'm saying that Ludwig and Gilbert share the first name, when on the Hetalia website(And MANY other sources) say they have different ones. They're BROTHERS. It makes sense, doesn't it? But anyway, I'm probably going to do it with other characters that show up later in the story. **

**But I'm not telling you who they are! ^J^ *****Cough* Ivan *Cough* Natalia *Cough* Others *Cough* **

**And giving a review wont kill you or give you a nasty cough like I have. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter three**

We sit on my bed, with myself run my fingers through Feli's hair as he cries out his sadness. Our boots and helmets rest idle by the door, and our jackets and guns rest on my desk chair. He's taken off his uniform shirt and his pants, something he does to relax; Wearing nothing but his tank-top and boxers. He sits there with his face against my collar bone.

"Why is he so mean?" He whispers. I shake my head, and I pull him in close so I'm hugging him tightly.

"People can be like that sometimes Feli" I whisper back. I wipe some tears away from his face, and he sniffs. This has been going on for well over an hour.

"You're a good friend Astrid" He says. I smile, and he holds onto my hand. "Really, you're the nicest person I've ever met" I pat his shoulder, and my heart grows heavy with the look he's wearing.

"What about your older brother?" I ask. He frowns.

"Lovino always calls me a bastard and makes fun of me. Sometimes I wonder if he even loves me." I stand up, and I cross to the deep drawer underneath my desk. I pull out the wine glasses and bottle, and I shrug at Feli.

"You're brother will always love you, no matter what he says." He bites his lip and stares at his hands. "Would some wine help?" I ask, and he nods.

"Vino is always good" I pull out the cork and pour two glasses half full of the red stuff. I hand him one, and he slowly sips. I take a few myself, but set it on my bedside table.  
>After knowing Feli for three weeks, I've learned of his strengths and weaknesses, fears and comforts, as well as his dreams and nightmares.<p>

"One day, I'll make my Nonno proud" He sticks his empty glass out, and I pour him more.

"Yes you will" He smiles, and downs the glass.

"More" He says below his voice, and I give him one last glass full. After this I'm cutting him off. "And Lovino will finally respect me" He says, looking up at the ceiling. I smile, and he looks at me. "Will you sing that song for me?"

"The lullaby?" I take a sip of my wine, and he nods.

"La ninna nanna" I smile at his language, and I take a deep breath. The lullaby has always made him happy and sleepy. It worked for me when I was a child.

"Dancing bears, Painted wings. Things I almost remember. And a song, someone sings. Once upon a December" I sing, and he hands me his wine glass. I set it beside my own, and he falls to the bed with his eyes closed. "Someone holds me safe and warm. Horses prance through a silver storm. Figures dancing gracefully, across my memory" I push his hair from his face, and he smiles. He looks so young when he's like this. It makes me want to hug him and never let go in fear of him losing that young innocence. "Far away, long ago, glowing dim as an ember. Things my heart, used to know. Once upon a December" By the end of the first verse, he's fast asleep with a childish smile on his face.  
>I kiss his forehead lightly and smile. I stand from the bed, and look in a small hand mirror. I look like someone crawled onto my face and died. Tired, worn, and angry. I grab a cloth and soak it in water from a canteen, and I wipe down my face.<br>When I pull the cloth away, I see a large stain of brown from the dirt that was caked onto my face.

"Might as well shower" I whisper. I look out of my tent to make sure no one is coming, and I tie a knot on the inside of the tarp to keep someone like Francis out. I smile at Feli, who is still fast asleep, and I walk to the back of my large and rather luxurious tent.  
>I walk to the showers in the corner, and I turn on the water. Water Cold as ice runs through the pipes. I leave it to heat up, and I walk toward my bed to get a very small, but very special trinket from my home.<p>

I walk back to the showers with the thing, and I set it on a shelf just outside the curtains. I strip bare, and I take a small key hanging in the cleavage of my breasts from a thin gold chain from around my neck. The small music box and key are gold, embezzled with turquoise and blue jewels. I insert the key into a hole in the music box, and a light tune begins to play. I smile, and I get into the shower.

"Dancing bears, Painted wings. Things I almost, remember. And a song, someone sings, Once upon a December." I sing the lyrics, and I smile as the water pulsates away the dust and dirt off my body. "Someone holds me safe and warm. Horses prance through a silver storm. Figures dancing gracefully, across my memory." I smile at the pause for music and I think back to when my babushka would hold me tight before bed.  
>"Someone holds me safe and warm. Horses prance a through a silver storm. Figures dancing gracefully, across my my memory. Far away, Long ago, glowing dim as an ember." I take a soap bar and begin scrubbing my skin. "Things my heart, used to know. Things it yearns, to remember" I run a wiry brush through my hair, and I douse it in bubbles from the soap bar. "And a song, someone sings. Once, upon a December." I rinse off, and the song begins to repeat.<p>

I reach out for a small shaver, and I begin to rid myself of unneeded body hair. Just because I act like a man does not mean I have to look like one.

"Dancing bears, Painted wings. Things I almost, remember" I whisper as I step out of the shower. "And a song, someone sings, Once upon a December." I wrap a towel around my naked body and I look into a fogged mirror. I hum to the tune as I search for another towel to put my hair up.  
>I look better than I did before. My cheeks bones are defined and my skin glows with the cleaning. Strands of hair that can't fit under the towel on my head lay in wet strips down the sides of my face and my eyes shine. I smile, and I take a tooth brush from a tin can and begin to run the bristles over the small white buds. I smile at the clean gleam, and I put the brush back.<p>

I let my towel fall into a basket for cleaning and I run long fingers through my hair. I shake my head to help get the moisture out, but it will take up to an hour to two for it two dry completely. The bruise has gotten bigger, and has turned an odd shade of green.

"That means it's healing" I try to convince myself, and I wince when I pad a wash cloth over the skin to dry it.

I walk back to the main area of the tent, and I change into a T-shirt and boxers. I set the music box back in my bedside dresser and I tuck the key underneath my shirt. I yawn, still feeling exhausted from this morning, and lay down next to Feli. I pull the blankets up around us and pull him close, like Martin did for me when ever I came into his room to sleep.  
>Feli smiles and rests his face int the crook of my neck, breathing peacefully and gently. My body relaxes with having a warm person next to me, and it reminds me of how on cold nights back in we would all huddle into the giant bed in my parent's room, and just laugh and tell stories until we all fell asleep.<p>

As my memories fill my mind, they slowly turn to dreams. And I pass over to the land of sleep.

* * *

><p>Ludwig's POV<p>

My head pounds and I hiss in pain as I came to a stop. I ran too long; my muscles are screaming in agony and sweat is pouring down the nape of my neck and my spine.

What I said to Gilbert was Stupid. Just plain Stupid. But what he said was like a stab to the back. Vater didn't love me anymore than Gil. I actually felt like_ he_ was the one loved most by Vater. The old man never really said "I love you" to either of us growing up. It was always a grunt in approval or a pat on the head.  
>But when Vater died... Things got a bit stressful. I was seventeen, Gilbert twenty, and I was left almost all of Vater's valuable belonging. Including the Car, House and the collection of coins and paper in the safe in the basement. Gilbert was quite literally left Rose bushes and a pack of coffee.<p>

I take a deep breath and push my fallen hair from my face. I use the sleeve of my jacket to wipe my brow, and I wrap the thing around my neck to help with the feeling of being damp. I crack my neck and I sigh heavily to ease the tension in my neck.

"Herr Beilschmidt!" I turn around, and I see a short Italian man with dark brown hair running up to me, obviously winded from the run from.. I don't know where he came from.

"Ja?" I ask. He sighs, and puffs his cheeks up to ease his breathing.

"Have you see Vargas?"

"Herr Vargas?" I ask. He shakes his head. I recognize him as Louise, Someone who's been known for hounding Astrid.

"No. His grandson" I furrow my brow, remembering the small boy. Isn't he one of Herrmann's friends?

"Last I saw they were going to Herrmann's tent" The Italian smiles, and bares his teeth in a cocky grin. "What?"

"Nothing. Nothing-" He leaves without saying good day, and runs off to where Astrid's tent should be. Odd.

I shake my head, maybe I should follow him to make sure he doesn't start something. I've seen him following Herrmann around for a while now. Something off with him.

I walk down the dirt path, and I sigh heavily. When I get to the tent entrance, I furrow my brow at the sound of people talking.

"What are you doing in here?" I ask, walking into Herrmann's tent. Inside I see Francis and Gilbert standing next to her bed. Louise stands close behind, a devilish smile on his face. I stare at Gilbert, wondering what he's doing here. And why he hasn't tried to kill both Francis and I.

"I should have known" Louise says with his Italian accent. I look at him with confusion, and he points to the bed. I look, and I hold in a gasp to see Herrmann and Feliciano snuggled under the blanket, holding each other close.

"Who knew? The Captain's grandson and the General's daughter" Louise elbows me, and the Frenchman laughs

"Ohonhon. Do you see the bruise on her neck?" he asks. "I doubt that came from training" he says with a smug face. I frown. She got it from him, I saw the whole scene play out during the altercation between the two.

"Why are you in here?" I order. My brother grins at me, and I swallow hard. Has he forgotten about earlier?

"Looks like your girlfriend's found someone new" I grind my jaw.

"She's not mein Lieben" I whisper, and pinch the bridge of my nose.

"What ever." he waves me off, and looks back at the couple.

"It's a shame I wasn't here when they first came in here, I could have been a great addition" I roll my eyes at the comment and my eyes fall back onto the sleeping pair.  
>Astrid looks so peaceful. And Feliciano seems like the happiest person in the world.<p>

"They've been drinking my wine too" Francis holds up an empty wine bottle, and he frowns. "She took it from me after I..." His voice trails off, and Gilbert looks at him with a pointed look.

"After you what?"

"After I congratuated her for insulting Ludwig. it was a bold thing to do"

"And unnecisary" I take the bottle and I smell the open lid. "Gott. This could take down Vargas himself, how are they not dead from over dose?" I ask, and I look at them. They're both so... Small, it wouldn't take much alcohal to rot their livers.

"They could have burned off the alcohal" Francis thrusts his pelvis into the air and Gilbert punches his shoulder.

"Don't be such a perv Frenchie" Francis shrugs, and smiles. Did Gilbert get his crop back? He seems like a new person, happy and his eyes shining with that mischievousness gleam.

"They could have" I frown more, and I begin to usher them out. It's free time for the men, not 'watch Astrid sleep' time.

"Let us just watch a little but longer" Francis pleads. My ice blue eyes makes him snap his jaw and drages Gilbert and Louise from the tent. I push my hair back from my face, and turn toward the sleepers.  
>Astrid mumbles something, and she curls her head to rest of Feliciano's chest. He smiles in his sleep and drapes an arm around her back and shoulders. Something about seeing this side of her; her vulnerable sweet side and not the hostile and strong, makes my heart do a flip.<br>My face heats up just looking at her, And my palms become hot and sweaty. Why?

I sit in a chair beside the bed, and I watch the two sleep. Eventually, the sound of their even breaths fills my ears, and I find myself falling into sweet slumber.

* * *

><p>NORMAL<p>

My sensation of touch re-awakens first. I feel Feli's even breath on my neck, and his light arm draped protecivly around my shoulders. His legs are thin, but wind in and out of mine like coils. My forehead his pressed against his chest, and my fingers are woven within his.

I feel safe. Sound and peacful. I've never woken up in the arms of a man. Only my brother has held me this way. And that was only if I had a bad dream when I was a child. Yet, it feels almost right. I've gone for so long without someone holding me like this, that I've forgotten how it can be so comforting.

My ears awake, and I hear his breathing and the beating of his heart. The blankets rise and fall with slight scratching motions over my skin, and I feel completely calm.

My eyes open, slowly at first, blinking to keep them from fogging over or becoming slits from the over sensory of light. I see Feli's chest, his pale skin seeming almost red from where my breath hits it. I move my head up, and I rest it on my pillow to see him sleeping happily.  
>I reach up and brush some of his hair away. I sigh, and I turn onto my back so I can stare up at the metal ceiling. I don't feel tired any more. Just relaxed. And I don't want to get up from this warm bed. The air is ought to be cold, since it's maybe five o'clock and the sun's going down soon.<p>

I close my eyes and smile. This is a good reprieve from training, the shooting practice the climbing and running. The muscles strains and body aches. To be able to just lay here, warm and comfortable, is a luxery I wont have after our batalion is sent to the front. And I have no idea when that will happen.  
>As I listen to the world around me, my ears pick up the sound of breathing. Not Feli's. No, somewhere off to my left. I turn my head, and I have to hold in a gasp. What is Beilschmidt doing in my tent? Was he watching me sleep? Does he think Feli and I- No. He probably has some message for me and fell alseep waiting for us to wake up.<p>

"Herr Beilschmidt?" I whisper, and he jumps. _"light sleeper"_ I think to myself, and he rubs his face to wake himself up. He looks at me and his eyes open wide.

"A-Astrid" He says, swallowing hard. "You're awake" He mutters.

"Yes" I say, trying to hide my smirk. "What are you doing in here?" I ask. He swallows hard, and smiles.

"I..um.." He stares at his shoes and blushes. His face turning beet red. "Sorry" He leaves in a hurry, and I stare in confusion. What was that about? I shake my head and I lay back down in the bed. I stare at the ceiling, and Feli stirrs.

"Hmm. Astrid?" He whispers. I look over at him and he smiles. "What time is it?" He asks.

"Around five" I say he smiles, and closes his eyes.

"Did I fall asleep?" He asks, his voice still slurred from the wine.

"Yea" He smiles, and sighs.

"Can we just lay here until dinner? I'm really tired" He groans and stretches.

"Of course kleinen Bruder " I whisper. He smiles. Calling him little brother makes him feel safe. I brush some hair from his face. He falls back to sleep, and I spend the next two hours watching his chest rise and fall in peace.

* * *

><p><strong>Hello all! I would just like to inform you that I will be unable to update for a while, since the dreaded curse thrust upon all teenagers called School has begun once again. I will update it as soon as I can. (Hoping for next week end) but I can't make any promises.<strong>

**And a Review or two would make the next week of torture a lot more bearable.. Would be my savior and bring some light to me? **

**XD just review please!**


	5. Chapter 5

THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SWEARS! BEWARE YOUNG READERS! (But if you're not a teen, you really shouldn't be reading this.. But I can't stop you! :D)

**Chapter five**

I sigh, and reach across the bed to my dresser for a hair tie. Why do I have to get up again?

"Ve- Astrid, I'm hungry" That's why. I sit up and I crack my neck. "Do you think they'll have pasta for dinner? Ve- I _love_ pasta!" I resist the urge to face palm. This isn't some fancy Italian restaurant, this is a German Battalion. Who in their right mind would- Never mind.

"Maybe" I humor him, and get out from under the blankets and pull on a fresh shirt and cargo pants. My boots I slip on after my hair is up, and I turn to see Feliciano hoping from foot to foot by the tent flap. His face isn't tear stained like it was when he fell asleep, and for once his amber eyes are open, and not slits like they are during training and dinner. That nap really did something for me. I'm not so tired any more. I feel refreshed. That's a good sign, right?

"Hurry up!" He cheers and I stand up straight to stare at him.

"Why don't you go ahead?" I ask. He smiles, and runs from the tent in a blink of an eye. I poke my head out, and watch him jump over the gravel and mud puddles. I laugh. Feli is one of the slowest runners on the base, but when food is involved it's like the entire British army is after him.

I turn back into my tent and grab my uniform jacket and leave my tent. As I walk down the path, I close my eyes and think. Of nothing really, just ideas that pop into my head. I wonder how my family is doing. What jobs Pappa has been doing with the Führer. How Martin's foot has been healing. If they've gotten my recent letters.  
>My mind slowly drifts away from family, and focuses on the happenings from the past week. Training hasn't been to difficult. And Francis has left me alone for the most part. I still want to kick his father's teeth in though. And why was Ludwig in my tent this afternoon? Did he have a message for me?<p>

"_Passen Sie doch auf!_" I jump, and I feel something bump my side roughly. I open my eyes and see a large truck flush against me, the driver as well as it's passengers sticking the upper halves of their bodies out the window. "_Raus aus dem Weg du dumme Hündin_!" The driver shouts at me and I glare at him with shock. He did not just call me a bitch.

"_Gehen Sie zurück nach Russland twat_" My jaw drops, and they honk their horn. I jump back, and they drive forward. The men in the tented back glare at me with the same anger from the drivers.

"You should watch where you're going next time Fräulein" I jump, and turn to see Beilschmidt's brother, Gilbert. He gives me a cocky smile, and I frown. He has never shown any real interest in making small talk with me. He'd much rather play 'Get Those Vital Regions' with Francis. But I have to say, The difference in his eyes from the other soldiers certainly caught my eye the first time I saw him.  
>I mean really, how many people do you meet with naturally occurring red eyes? But it's probably the same chance as meeting someone with purple eyes.<p>

"What is it Gilbert?" He's never been one for formalities. I've heard him screaming across the camp at his ranking officer to call him 'Gilbert the Awesome' instead of 'Beilschmidt'.

"Gott, What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be in the kitchen making me dinner?" He smiles, and pushes me toward the dining hall.

"Don't touch me" I say appalled by his words. In the Kitchen? I understand the time period, but in my home women are just as high on their horses as the men are.

"I can do what ever I want, because I'm awesome." He calls out, and pushes me again. I frown, and raise an arm to punch him. "I wouldn't do that" He smiles, and holds up a leather crop from his waist. Wait a minute..

"If you hit me with that I will-" He slaps my wrist, and I wince in pain. I cradle it to my chest, and narrow my eyes at him.

"Now back into the kitchen with you" I sneer, and spit on his boot. Men back home never treated women with this little of respect. It makes my easily-triggered temper rage.

"Sexist bastard" I mutter, but he only smiles. His red eyes look like pools of blood, and they give me chills. His silver hair is fuzzed, and falls to the right side in uneven wisps. Not like his younger brother at all.

"Oh stop it, you" He smiles and gives me one more push. "Now make me a sandwich " I slap him, and the humor in his voice disappears. "How dare you"

"Stop" I bark. "If you touch me one more time I'm going to-" He cuts me off by grabbing my wrist and twisting it, so I land on my knees. I look up at him, and he gives me a feral growl.

"No one touches a Beilschmidt like that" He grips my wrist harder, and I cry out slightly.

"Let go of me" I look around, but I see no one. Everyone must be at the dining hall. Damn it.

"Not until I teach you a lesson about respect" His crop is brought down on my head sharply, and I close my eyes.

Ow. He bares his teeth, and brings me back into a standing position. My wrist is still held in a very awkward, and very painful position. What is he doing? Where did this rage come from?

"When you greet a man," He grabs hold of my hair. "You bow your head" He bends it forward in a rough motion. He grabs my jaw, and clenches it shut with his gloved fingers. "Be seen, and unheard" I tear up at the pain, and he lets go of my wrist. "Women are to know their place" He brings the crop that was once at his hip up, and I close my eyes tightly to block the oncoming blow.

But it doesn't come, and I open my eyes to see him staring at me with anger.

"Consider yourself Lucky. _Russische Schlampe_" His last words are whispered, and he stalks off toward the captain's tents. My stomach turns to knots, and I stand up with my knees shaking. Fear is unacceptable. I can't show it, but it's rattling my bones so much I can't hold in a simple breath without sounding like I'm crying. My hand reaches up to my face, and I find that I am.

I've never felt so vulnerable. I've been in a position with someone like that, but I was stronger and able to fend them off. But Gilbert... He's strong. Too strong. It makes my heart jump to think of the tightness in his grasp around my wrist. I close my eyes tightly and wrap my arms around my waist. A solider is supposed to show courage, But I feel like curling into a ball. Maybe all the words from other men here are true. I am no warrior. I'm just a girl. A stupid girl who should go back to where she belongs.

I shake my head and walk back to my tent. I'm not hungry any more.

* * *

><p>He walks across the camp, all the while muttering German curses to himself and the woman responsible for his emotions.<p>

"She acts like a fucking queen or something" He frowns and clenches his jaw. His red eyes scan the ground for any rocks he can kick in frustration, but when no arise he turns to kicking a nearby tent's frame.

Gilbert had no intention of harming her. He just wanted to give her a hard time. Astrid was just asking for it, walking around camp acting like one of them. She's a woman. Obviously not somewhere she belongs. Shouldn't she be in the Medical Bay or, in most men's words, the kitchen?

"It was a joke!" He looks up at the sky and groans. Is he feeling remorse? He is Gilbert Beilschmidt, the most Awesome German on the base! He feels no guilt. "And did she need to cry?" He whispers. She cried. He heard her sob when he turned away. Gott, is he really that bad of a man to make a girl cry? "Obviously" He answers his own question and licks his lips.  
>She was a woman. And back home, girls would get very emotional, very quickly. And when you make a certain girl cry, you run for the hills before her Vati can catch you.<p>

"Gott, she's probably still sitting in the mud crying her eyes out."He stops walking and turns back to where he last saw her sitting in the mud.

She's gone.

"Scheiße" He whispers. "She'll tell everyone" He voices his fears and starts off in a jog toward the dinning hall. "Scheiße, Scheiße, Scheiße" He runs, and enters the hall to see men milling around and talking about the day's relaxation. He searches the room, hoping to see a sight of red hair or purple eyes.

"Bruder?" He jumps, and turns around to see Ludwig eyeing him with suspicion. "Is everything alright?"

"Ja!" He says a bit too quickly. Ludwig narrows his eyes, and Gilbert swallows hard. _"Scheiße" _He thinks to himself.

"Something is up. I don't know what, but something is up" Ludwig frowns, and walks up to the officer's table. Gilbert sighs. If Astrid had come, he would have been the first... Wait, No.

"Vargas" He whispers and turns toward the other end of the room. At the table, he sees a small man with light auburn hair and bright amber eyes laughing and using his hands dramatically with every syllable as he talks to his fellow Italians.

Gilbert hovers by the table, trying to pick up bits and pieces of their conversation. But too bad for him that he doesn't understand a word in Italian.  
>He groans, and the Feliciano turns around to look up at the Prussian with confusion.<p>

"Gilbert? Ve- What are you doing over here?"

* * *

><p><span>LUDWIG'S POV~<span>

"Bruder?" My fingers tap his shoulder gently, but I end up startling him to the point of him jumping a foot off the ground. He's not normally this skittish unless he's done something bad. Or he's high... Or drunk. But I don't want to think about that. Too many creepy memories.  
>I shake my head slightly and narrow my eyes.<p>

"Is everything alright?"

"Ja!" He shouts, almost cutting off the end of my sentence. He wears a fake smile, and gulps. I see worry flash over his eyes.

"Something is up. I don't know what, but something is up" I frown, thinking that he's done something stupid again. I'll probably have to go fix what ever he did after dinner. I turn away and walk back to my table.

I look down at the plate of potatoes, gravy and some kind of meat loaf. I take a bite after properly mashing the white-ish roots. The Potatoes are good. Just as good as they were last night. And the night before. And the night before that. Am I getting.. Tired, of potatoes? Unthinkable! They're a staple in my diet. I can't be tired of them!

My eyes scan the table, and a few seats down I see Philip slicing his food into tiny chunks. Gott, what a weird ass.

I take a deep breath and lean back in my chair. In the corner of the large room, I see Gilbert talking to Feliciano. Please don't let him talking about what I think he is. I don't want to deal with that topic being brought up again. Running from Astrid's tent with my tail between my legs was such a bull move. Why was I even nervous in the first place?

I pinch the bridge of my nose, and I stand from the table. The idea of being so scared, in front of a woman no less, makes my stomach turn. I leave the mess hall, and I stare out across camp thinking of Astrid. She smirked at me. Like she enjoyed watching me squirm. I am not a weakling, but why do I feel so _vulnerable_ around her?

I shake my head and walk back to my tent. I'm not hungry any more.

* * *

><p>Translations!<p>

_Russische Schlampe-_ Russian slut_  
>Passen Sie<em> doch auf-Watch where you're going  
><em><span>Raus aus dem Weg du dumme Hündin-<span>_ Get out of the way, you stupid bitch  
><em><span>Gehen Sie zurück nach Russland twat-<span>_ Go back to Russia, twat

**Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. Don't you just wana stab writers block in the face? Because I sure do! :D Anyway, I hope you guys liked this chapter, and I'll be updating(Hopefully) faster than I did this time.  
><strong>**You can shoot me if you want(With marshmallows... Not bullets or paint-balls or BB's. Those things hurt worse than a Bi-otch. ) for writing other stories while I'm SUPPOSED to be updating this... But You can't contain a Hyper-active and easily distracted brain! :D **

**R&R**

**-Stella laLuna**


End file.
